Nov 1 American Jobs Act and Republican Welfare for the Rich

If the new infrastructure proposal were enacted, the surtax on millionaires would impact a grand total of 345,532 taxpayers nationwide — or 0.2 percent of American taxpayers.* If the new infrastructure proposal were enacted, the 0.7 percent surtax would amount to all of $13,457 on average for the millionaires that would pay it. Given that their average income is $2,923,000, this means they would be paying on average an additional 1/217 of their overall income, or just over an additional 0.4 percent. That’s less than one half of one percent. [ Greg Sargent]

The Senate Republicans are not only unanimously opposed to this bill they are filibustering it. Filibusters are supposed to be used for issues where the minority feels a deep principle is at stake and here we can see two deep principles are at stake for the Republicans. First, they don't want the rich to pay a single penny of tax to support the commonwealth. Their idea is that the rich can donate to charity when they feel like it, but unlike the rest of us, don't have any civic duty at all. The second principle, of course, is that anything that can make the economy better might help Barack Obama get re-elected and getting Barack Obama out of the White House is their number one priority.